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Difficulty: EasyPronoun Clarity and Reference

During the regional baking championship, chef Leo and his apprentice Marcus prepared a complex chocolate soufflé. Leo carefully measured the imported cocoa powder while Marcus whipped the egg whites to stiff peaks. After placing the dessert into the preheated oven, he set a digital timer for exactly eighteen minutes.

Which choice is the best replacement for the underlined pronoun to make the sentence clear?

  1. A
    NO CHANGE
  2. LeoAnswer
  3. C
    this
  4. D
    which

Answer

Leo
Replacing the pronoun with the specific proper noun 'Leo' is the correct answer because it directly resolves the pronoun ambiguity. Since the passage introduces two male individuals, the pronoun 'he' could refer to either of them, creating a clarity issue that is solved by naming the specific person who set the timer.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the underlined pronoun and its potential antecedents in the passage.
The underlined pronoun is 'he', and the preceding sentence mentions two singular male individuals: 'chef Leo' and 'his apprentice Marcus'.
To check for pronoun clarity, you must ensure that every pronoun has exactly one clear and unambiguous noun antecedent.
2
Evaluate the choices to find the one that removes any ambiguity while maintaining grammatical correctness.
Replacing 'he' with the name 'Leo' clarifies who performed the action without introducing any grammatical errors.
Using the specific noun is the most effective way to resolve an ambiguous pronoun reference.

Key Concept

Pronoun Clarity and Reference
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Topics

Pronoun Clarity and Reference

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